Chapter 3
Montana
Lindsay had been home for a full day now and was pleasantly surprised when her family didn't pressure her to talk about Shane Casey that much. They had questioned if she was all right emotionally and after that it was never mentioned again. She was leaving tomorrow but missed Danny like crazy. Then her phone went off
"You must have read my mind" Lindsay smiled knowing Danny was on the other end
"All the way from New York? Impossible" Danny teased "How ya doing?"
"Good, I'm good" Lindsay promised
"You sound good" Danny said happily
"This was a good idea I'm glad you talked me into it" Lindsay told him
"How's Luce doing?" Danny questioned
"She is running around crazy with her little cousins" Lindsay smirked "She rode a horse today with me, she loved it"
"She's country girl like her mom" Danny smirked into the phone
"How's everything at the lab?" Lindsay questioned
"It's only been a day Linds everything is the same if not more boring" Danny promised and she smiled
"Good I want all the good stuff to wait for me to get back" Lindsay told him
"What are you doing tonight?" Danny asked
"I'm meeting Ryan's girlfriend Kimberly tonight" Lindsay told him
"That sounds nice I hope you interrogate her the same way your brothers interrogated me" Danny said to her causing her to laugh
"I'm not as intimidating as my brothers Danny" Lindsay said to him
"I don't know you scare the hell outta me sometimes" Danny teased
"Poor Danny is always getting picked on by the Monroe's" Lindsay mocked
"I hope you aint teaching my daughter that crap" Danny warned "I don't want her picking up on the Monroe's bad habits"
"Stop it you'll always be Lucy's favorite" Lindsay promised
"Alright go out to dinner have a good time and give Lucy a kiss for me" Danny told her
"I love you" Lindsay replied a little sadly
"Love you too" Danny promised then both hung up
At a nice restaurant Lindsay was happily chatting with her brothers girlfriend Kimberly who Lindsay deemed good enough for him while Ryan and Billy who decided to join them for dinner talked amongst themselves
"So" Billy started "I wanted to announce it tonight, I heard back from New York. I got the job" he stated proudly
"That's great" Ryan said shaking his hand
"Congratulations" Lindsay added with a smile
"I'm counting on you to show me around town" Billy said seriously to her and she smiled
"I still barley know my way around town" she smirked "But I'll do the best I can"
"When do you leave?" Ryan asked
"I report next Monday" Billy told them
"You're going to miss it here" Kimberly teased
"Not really I'll have a little piece of home right Linds?" Billy asked referring to her
"Absolutely" Lindsay agreed with a smile
"I hate to cut this night short" Kimberly said looking at her pager going off "But that's the hospital" Kimberly said to them. Kimberly was a first year resident doctor in Bozeman
"I'll take you" Ryan said pulling her chair out for her
"It was great to meet you Lindsay" Kimberly said walking over to her "You're as lovely as your brother promised"
"You too" Lindsay smiled
"I'll see you at home sis" Ryan said to her "You too Billy"
"Night" Billy called after them "You up for a night cap?"
"Um if you were to ask me that a few years ago I would have said yes" Lindsay started "But now all I want to do is make it home in time before my mom puts Lucy to sleep so I can say good night"
"You're really all grown up" Billy smiled "I always wondered what Jill would have done with her life"
"Probably something amazing" Lindsay smiled "She was an over-achiever she'd probably be a hot shot attorney"
"She did love to argue" Billy smirked then frowned "I still miss her"
"So do I" Lindsay said to him "I think about her a lot. I know it sounds silly but when I have really big news I still think to call her and then I walk to the phone and I realize I can't"
"Me too" Billy said to her sadly "You were the sister she never had Lindsay I'm glad you two were so close"
"I was just telling Danny that the other night" Lindsay said to him
"He seems like a great Lindsay" Billy said to her "You deserve all the happiness you have"
"Thanks" Lindsay smiled
"Let's get out of here I'll take you home" Billy said standing up throwing some cash on the table
"Thanks" Lindsay smiled and they bother walked out of the restaurant
The car ride home was nice filled with conversations about the past and talking about old times. Lindsay was almost a little disappointed when they pulled up to her family home
"Thanks for the ride" Lindsay smiled
"Anytime kiddo" Billy smiled back politely as Lindsay got out of the car and he watched and made sure she was in the house before her drove off
Lindsay walked into the house and found her mother at the kitchen table
"Hey mom" Lindsay smiled "Lucy still up?"
"Sorry honey I just put her down ten minutes ago" Beth frowned
"It's ok" Lindsay smiled
"What did you think of Kimberly?" Beth questioned
"I thought she was very nice" Lindsay smiled "She's a perfect fit for Ryan"
"I agree" Beth smiled widely "He's the last one that has to marry off and give me grandchildren"
"Don't you have enough grandchildren?" Lindsay teased taking a seat across from her mother
"Never" Beth said seriously
"So Billy said he got the job in the City" Lindsay told her mother who just smiled softly
"That's nice" Beth said taking a sip of her coffee looking down at her magazine
"What?" Lindsay asked with a laugh
"It's nothing dear" Beth assured her
"I've known you my entire life" Lindsay smirked "What's wrong with Billy?"
"Did you know he used to have a crush on you?" Beth asked her casually flipping threw her magazine
"No he didn't" Lindsay laughed
"He sure did" Beth said looking up at her daughter "The only time I had ever seen him argue with Ryan was over you"
"When was this?" Lindsay questioned
"When you were a senior in high school" Beth said to her "And he was junior in college at the time"
"No way" Lindsay argued with a laugh
"Yes way" Beth argued now removing her reading glasses "I was upstairs putting away laundry and I heard Billy ask Ryan if he would be ok with you taking him to prom"
"Why?" Lindsay asked. She didn't even go to her senior prom, she felt selfish enjoying all these great things and not being able to share them with her friends "I didn't even go"
"He wanted to talk you into it" Beth said to her
"So what? He was trying to be nice" Lindsay argued "He didn't have a crush on me or want to date me. He pitied me"
"Uh-huh" Beth said picking up her glasses and placing them on her face again "and Ryan felt the same way. Told Billy that he was to old for you and Billy argued with him. He said you were wise beyond your years and you'd be better with an older man. Ryan almost hit him"
"Why didn't Ryan ever tell me this?" Lindsay questioned still believing her mother was over-dramatizing the story
"He didn't want you to feel bad for Billy and run to him" Beth told her matter of factly "They didn't speak for an entire week"
"Well I'm sure he's over me by now" Lindsay told her mother "I'm old, married and a mother"
"And hot" Beth added and Lindsay rolled her eyes
"Do you think he's going to try to woo me away from Danny?" Lindsay asked amused and Beth simply shrugged
"I'd love to see him try" Beth stated looking down at her magazine casually "I would love to see Danny hit him"
"He likes Danny he told me that tonight" Lindsay told her and Beth simply mumbled
"He's strange" Beth added "He's never had a serious girlfriend"
"So?" Lindsay questioned "Some people just have commitment issues. He's been threw a lot mom"
"He's never been the same since Jill's death" Beth corrected
"He lost his sister that night" Lindsay replied sadly "I don't blame him"
As Beth was about to reply Lindsay's phone went off
"It's Danny" Lindsay said pulling her phone out of her bag and Beth grabbed the phone
"Hello Daniel" Beth smiled answering the phone
"Hello Beth" Danny smiled. She was defiantly his favorite in-law. She was warm and welcoming to him every time she saw him "How's my wife and daughter doing?"
"They are amazing" Beth beamed "The bigger Lucy gets the more she looks like you"
"Poor kid" Danny smirked into the phone
"I wish you could have made it down this trip Daniel" Beth said to him "We would have loved to see you"
"Ah next time I'll be there" Danny promised
"I baked you my apple-pie" Beth smiled she knew Danny loved it and every year on his birthday shipped out that pie to him for his birthday
"You are the best" Danny smiled "Thank you"
"Don't thank me, thank you for taking such good care of my daughter" Beth said as Lindsay rolled her eyes at her mother "Here's Lindsay dear, have a good night" Beth said passing the phone to Lindsay
"My own mother likes you better then me" Lindsay smirked standing up and stepping outside on the front steps so she could talk in privacy
"That's fine because my mother likes you better then me" Danny teased "It all worked out and honestly your mother doesn't talk as much as mine so I'm happy with the trade"
"Not nice" Lindsay warned "You know Billy got that job in New York"
"Oh good you'll have a little country friend to mock the east coast with" Danny teased
"I do not mock the east coast" Lindsay corrected
"Seriously though I'm glad you'll have somebody from home out here with ya" Danny told her
"New York is my home Danny" Lindsay told him seriously
"That's what I like to hear" Danny stated proudly "I missed you and Luce"
"We've missed you more I'm sure" Lindsay said to him "I can't wait to be back home in my own bed"
"Tomorrow night you will be" Danny said to her "What time are you landing?"
"8:00 we should be back" Lindsay told him "You'll meet us at the airport?"
"If I'm not there someone will be. We got a big case" Danny told her
"Don't solve it until I get back to work" Lindsay joked
"I'll try to sabotage as much as I can" Danny said to her that's when Lindsay heard Adam in the background
"You're still at work?" Lindsay questioned
"Yea I'll be here probably all night" Danny sighed, clearly exhausted
"You should try to get in an hour sleep Danny" Lindsay told him worriedly
"Don't worry about me" Danny said to her "Just worry about getting home to me as soon as you can alright?"
"Deal" Lindsay smiled "I'll see you tomorrow"
"Night" Danny said then hung up
The next morning
Lindsay walked down the stairs to find her mother feeding Lucy
"There's my girl" Lindsay smiled leaning down to give Lucy a kiss good-morning
"Sleep well dear?" Beth asked looking up at Lindsay
"Not really, just anxious to get home" Lindsay shrugged and Beth laughed
"You can't sleep without him can you?" Beth smiled
"Is that so wrong?" Lindsay questioned
"Not at all" Beth defended "You're still in the honeymoon stage"
"Well I doubt that I just feel better knowing he's next to me" Lindsay said pouring herself a cup of coffee
"What's going on?" Ryan smiled walking into the kitchen patting Lucy on the head and taking the fresh cup of coffee Lindsay had just poured out of her hands and sipping it
"Lindsay can't sleep without Danny" Beth said embarrassing Lindsay instantly and Ryan instantly rolled his eyes
"Poor baby" Ryan mocked "You managed years of sleep before him I'm sure you made it threw just fine these few nights"
"Stop making fun of me" Lindsay warned "I miss my husband"
"And there's no shame in that" Beth stated proudly and Ryan rolled his eyes
"Why do you hate him so much?" Lindsay finally asked her brother "I was nothing but nice to Kimberly"
"Am I ever rude to Danny?" Ryan questioned and Lindsay didn't respond
"Behind his back" Lindsay shot at him annoyed taking a seat at the table with them "Danny has been the best thing that has ever happened to me, he's never given up on me. He makes me happy and he makes Lucy happy"
"Look I like the guy I'm just messing with you" Ryan told her "Of course I'm not going to roll out the red carpet for him being that he knocked you up before he married you-" Ryan started then his mother slapped him over the head and motioned towards Lucy "But he seems like a stand up guy and I trust him with you and I think that says a lot"
"I think that was some sort of a compliment" Lindsay mumbled "Why are you even here don't you have your own home"
"That I do but I've got an important business meeting tonight so I can't take you to the airport" Ryan told her
"That's fine will take cab" Lindsay told him coolly
"No" Ryan said "Billy said he'd take you"
"He offered?" Beth asked raising an eyebrow
"No I asked him" Ryan said giving his mother an odd look
"Ignore her" Lindsay warned Ryan "Thanks that would be great"
"What a gentleman" Beth stated with a forced smile
"Anyway I wanted to stop by and say good-bye to my favorite sister and favorite niece" Ryan smiled at Lindsay
"That's not nice you have two other nieces" Lindsay scolded
"Yes but those nieces talk a lot more then this one does" Ryan smirked taking Lucy out of her highchair "And this one I only see what? Once year she's like Christmas" he said smiling at Lucy who was laughing at her Uncle
"You're going to be a great father one day" Lindsay told him with a proud smile
"It's one thing to be an Uncle and another to be a dad" Ryan said to his sister
"It is but I'm a cop and have natural instincts" Lindsay told him with a shrug
Airport
Billy had driven Lucy and Lindsay to the airport and was helping take there luggage out of the trunk. Lucy was sound asleep on Lindsay's shoulder
"I'm glad you decided to come Linds" Billy told her
"Me too it was nice to catch up" Lindsay told him "And thanks for the ride"
"No problem at all" Billy said to her and looked at her "You've turned into an amazing women, you know that?"
Lindsay wouldn't have been taken back by this comment if her mother's words to her about Billy the previous night weren't still fresh in her mind
"Thanks" Lindsay smiled slightly embarrassed
"Don't be embarrassed" he inching closer to her placing his hand on her cheek which instantly made her uncomfortable
"Well I should get-" Lindsay started then all of the sudden Billy leaned and kissed her and Lindsay pulled away quickly and stared at him stunned "What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry" Billy said clearly surprised at his own actions "Just seeing you these last few days have stirred up a lot of old memories and- I'm sorry I didn't mean to do it"
"Ok" Lindsay said unsurely grabbing her bag and avoiding eye contact with the man
'My mother was right' Lindsay thought to herself
"Linds" Billy said gently grabbing her arm "I am so sorry"
"It's fine" Lindsay said trying to look him in the eye
"You have every right to hate me" Billy started "You're a married women and I wasn't trying to come on to you I just wanted- I don't know what I wanted but I feel you're the only person in the world who lost Jill too. I feel a strong connection to you"
Once he said her name Lindsay knew she would give in. Her and Billy grieved together when they both lost Jill and her other friends for that matter.
"Really it's fine" Lindsay said with a subtle smile "it was mistake"
"Exactly" Billy smiled at her "I hope I still have a friend when I come to New York"
"Of course you will" Lindsay smiled "Thanks again for the ride" then walked into the airport leaving Billy alone outside